Door Panel Respray Win!

[legopnuematic]

In the process of going through my truck I pulled the door panel off to replace the felts for the windows and decided to try to spruce them up by getting them back to their original luster.

This is what I started with, heavily faded panels, but otherwise in good shape.

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After a good bath to get 41 years of dust, dirt, and other things

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I had done some research and found that SEM color coat is a popular option, however I could not source it locally and did not want to hassle with buying online and guessing colors. So I set off to the local Menards and came up with this:

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The color is Gloss Chestnut (249847), and cost about $3, a lot better than $15 for SEM.

So lets see what it looks like on the panel shall we?

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[1987 GMC Jimmy]

That looks fantastic! What's a Menards, by the way?

 

[legopnuematic]

So lets see what it looks like with the wood grain reinstalled.

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And finally with the pouch reinstalled:

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Looks pretty sharp if I do say so myself.

By no means am I putting down SEM or any other company that specializes in these types of products, but rather showing an alternative method that yields very nice results and is easy on the wallet. Also only about 25% (if that) of the panel is seen and the areas where the arm/body will contact is not on the panel itself.

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[legopnuematic]

That looks fantastic! What's a Menards, by the way?

Menards is a Hardware store chain similar to Lowes or Home Depot. Thank you I'm glad that you like it

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Menards is a Hardware store chain similar to Lowes or Home Depot. Thank you I'm glad that you like it

I do like it! I'm gonna paint mine a different color, and I'd like to change the interior color eventually. I want to paint as much as possible so I keep an eye out for stuff like this. And thanks. I've never heard of Menards before, but I guess you learn something new every day.

 

[HotRodPC]

Looks good Spencer. Just to warn you and not to let the wind out of your sails, the TRUE test is going to be how long it lasts. It's very common for it to look good at the time you paint it. See what it looks like after they've been used a few months and then a year. Not saying you can't cheap out on the paint, but the success isn't necessarily in the paint or the paint work. The success is in the prep work. Even SEM recommends some adhesion boosters BEFORE the paint so the paint adheres much better and will last longer. Never know though, hopefully it lasts. Be sure to keep us updated.

 

[legopnuematic]

the TRUE test is going to be how long it lasts. It's very common for it to look good at the time you paint it. See what it looks like after they've been used a few months and then a year.

I have used the same paint before (although black) on my alternator bracket and on plastics that gets a lot of UV radiation and they are holding up fine. I cleaned it before painting with Denatured alcohol and did many very light tack coats to ensure good adhesion.

 

[HotRodPC]

I hope you're right buddy. Try not to touch it much. That's where the problem comes in. Your arm or hands may be sweaty or oily, grabbing a hold of it and rubbing on it and such is when the paint starts coming off and getting scratches if it's like the older stuff in the past. Technology has gotten better so hopefully better in this case too. But do keep us updated on how it wears. I'm sure others will be very interested if it works out.

 

[Oldrider]

That looks great.

 

[smoothandlow84]

Nice job.

 

[74 Shortbed]

That came out great..

 

[50dan]

Looks great!

 

[Old77]

Been following your progress on IG @legopneumatic. Great progress on the interior and exterior

 

[HotRodPC]

That's bulllshit man. You friggin yuppie ass millennial bastards need to be keeping your threads updated here too instead of running off to social media sites like little crybabies !!!

WTF?!?! Do we need to hand out coloring books here too???

 

[bucket]

That's bulllshit man. You friggin yuppie ass millennial bastards need to be keeping your threads updated here too instead of running off to social media sites like little crybabies !!!

WTF?!?! Do we need to hand out coloring books here too???

Cob is a millennial?